SPECIFICITY AND FUNCTIONS OF THE LATIN LANGUAGE DISCOURSE IN “A CRAZY GREEK” THOMAS NASHE’S PROSE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17721/if.54.23.16Keywords:
the Latin language discourse, Thomas Nashe, Ovid, “The Unfortunate Traveller”, “Pierce Penniless”, satirical poeticsAbstract
B a c k g r o u n d. The article explores the specificity of the Latin language discourse functioning in the works of the Elizabethan writer Thomas Nashe (1567-1601?) The novel “The Unfortunate Traveller” (1593) and the pamphlet “Pierce Penniless” became here the subject of research as Nashe quotes Ovid most often in them. Classical humanitarian education at Saint Jones college, sincere interest in ancient literature and culture, brilliant knowledge of Latin stimulated the usage of Latin expressions in his works, and also, these factors made it possible to determine the peculiarities of the Latin language discourse in Th. Nashe’s satirical fiction.
M e t h o d s. Different methods were used to determine the specificity of the Latin discourse in the two works of Th. Nashe. Analytical, synthetic, and cultural historical methods were prioritized for the literary and critical understanding of texts. Textological, stylistic, biographical and interpretive research methods were chosen for the analysis.
R e s u l t s. The author of the article came to the conclusion that his favorite classic writer was Ovid as sentences from his “Amores” enrich the texts of most English writer’s works. The usage of Latin quoting clearly indicates erudition, encyclopedic knowledge and inexhaustible creative energy of one of the most intelligent “university wits” Th. Nashe. However, the main goal of this article was to establish the functionality of Ovid’s words.
C o n c l u s I o n s. The analysis of several fragments from the novel and the pamphlet allowed to state that Latin-language Ovid’s maxims underwent changes in the satirical context of the Elizabethan writer’s works. As a result. They lose the emotional and pragmatic meaning inherent in the original text and begin to play the role of an intensifier of the English author’s satirical imperatives.
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